00:00 - High five, come on, show me you're alive.
00:01 - Oh, I thought you were taking your ring off.
00:03 (laughing)
00:04 And furthermore, I don't wanna be married to you anymore.
00:08 (laughing)
00:09 Hi, I'm David Foster.
00:10 - And I'm Catherine McPhee.
00:11 - And this is Billboard News.
00:13 (upbeat music)
00:15 - Hey everybody, welcome back to Billboard News.
00:22 I'm Rania Anifdos and I'm so honored
00:25 'cause we're here today with David Foster
00:27 and Catherine McPhee, hi!
00:29 - Hello.
00:30 (clapping)
00:32 - Live studio audience.
00:33 (upbeat music)
00:36 ♪ Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock ♪
00:41 ♪ Everyone would have a friend ♪
00:48 - We're finally in the Christmas spirit.
00:51 You guys have your Christmas album,
00:53 your second Christmas album together.
00:56 Tell me a bit about why you decided to give it another go.
00:59 - It's not really a second Christmas album.
01:01 The way we look at it is that it's like one complete album.
01:04 Most albums had about, what, 13 tracks on it.
01:08 So now, we've just combined the two last year.
01:11 - We did seven and seven, seven last year, seven this year.
01:11 - Yeah, so it's like one big album.
01:14 So you can now get the whole thing in one sort of bundle.
01:19 - It's called Christmas Songs, you know why?
01:20 - Why?
01:21 - Hey Siri, play Christmas Songs.
01:24 - To be fair, it probably doesn't hurt the algorithm,
01:26 right, the SEO, to get it up at the top
01:28 of someone's looking up Christmas songs, right?
01:31 And you guys did your first part
01:33 of Christmas Songs last year.
01:34 It was your first time in the studio together in what,
01:37 17 years since you were on American Idol?
01:39 - It's now been 18 years.
01:40 I mean, we'd worked together a lot, but--
01:43 - We toured together a lot, but that 18 years ago
01:45 is when I produced her very first single off the Idol show.
01:48 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
01:51 ♪ Someday I wish upon a star ♪
01:55 - Which became kind of a, in all modesty,
01:57 kind of a career song for you.
02:00 - It's a song that has followed me wherever I go.
02:02 But I did originally sing it on American Idol,
02:04 so let's just remember that it was based off
02:07 of that version, not just what David Foster did.
02:10 No, but it was an amazing day when I went to a studio.
02:13 I was born and raised in LA, so it was very cool
02:16 to get in my own car and drive to Malibu
02:18 in his beautiful studio.
02:19 And yeah, and so I do do that song a lot,
02:23 but that was the kind of first and few times
02:26 that we were in the recording studio together
02:28 until we were actually, you know--
02:30 - Making a Christmas record.
02:31 - Each other's ball and chain.
02:33 - Well, what made that, what helped you bridge that gap?
02:35 I guess you're married, you've worked together,
02:37 you've toured together, you've sang together.
02:39 Why were you like, okay, let's get in the studio
02:41 and make some Christmas music?
02:42 - You know there was a pandemic, remember that?
02:44 - I think I remember.
02:45 - So everybody was locked down, the whole world.
02:48 And we were inside and we had a new baby,
02:50 and we just started messing around with the piano
02:53 and then we started going live on Instagram.
02:55 - We literally thought that we would just put this,
02:58 a few songs out on our own, just independently.
03:01 And then your friend, longtime colleague, Tom Wally,
03:05 decided to sort of take over the project
03:08 and release it for us on their--
03:10 - On a real label.
03:11 - On a real record label.
03:11 - Global Vista.
03:12 - It honestly just started as something in our living room.
03:15 Like it really wasn't something that we were gonna be,
03:17 thought we were gonna be actively promoting.
03:19 But here we are at Billboard.
03:21 - This year, bring in the Christmas cheer
03:23 at the Foster Family Way.
03:25 With great music and great company.
03:26 - And I can imagine that that's probably the most,
03:29 the healthiest, most natural way, I guess,
03:31 to be in a marriage and also have a working relationship
03:35 is let things kind of flow naturally, I'm guessing.
03:38 - Yeah, for sure.
03:39 I'm about to go to New York for like two months,
03:41 starting tomorrow.
03:42 (laughing)
03:42 Whoa.
03:43 (laughing)
03:45 So we'll see how healthy we, see how we do.
03:49 - Catherine and I are gonna be hitting the town
03:50 and that's really kind of what she--
03:52 - We're gonna come visit you, give me five.
03:54 Come on, show me your life.
03:55 - Oh, I thought you were taking your ring off.
03:56 (laughing)
03:57 - Oh, no, that's so sad.
03:58 - That would have been a wild Billboard exclusive.
04:00 (laughing)
04:01 - And furthermore, I don't wanna be married to you anymore.
04:05 - How did you guys even decide on which Christmas songs,
04:08 I guess, to put out first and then the second half?
04:10 - It's not scientific.
04:11 It's really a matter of like, you know,
04:13 I'd get up, have a coffee and I'd look at the piano,
04:15 I'd go, just walk over there and I'd just start playing,
04:17 you know, "White Christmas."
04:18 Hey, come and try this.
04:20 ♪ I'm dreaming ♪
04:20 ♪ I'll be home for Christmas ♪
04:22 - No, that's not "White Christmas."
04:23 - I know, but.
04:24 - So in one of the other tracks, "Carol of the Bells,"
04:27 is a song that I did many, many years ago
04:29 as an instrumental and we took it.
04:31 ♪ Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun ♪
04:34 ♪ Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun ♪
04:35 Right, so we redid it and with some singers
04:38 along with Kat singing on it as well
04:40 to make it sort of a half vocal, half instrumental.
04:42 - It's definitely not a featured vocal moment.
04:44 - It's great because it features me on the piano
04:47 and you on vocals.
04:47 - So we just thought it would be nice for him
04:49 to have a few tracks that really just highlight him, right?
04:53 Because.
04:54 - But it also must be cool to use your voice
04:57 in that way too.
04:57 That's not the most traditional, I guess.
05:00 - We did that also with "We Three Kings,"
05:02 which we went for like an Enya.
05:04 I've loved Enya growing up.
05:06 Like just, that was a real middle school jam.
05:11 ♪ I'm a wonder star ♪
05:13 ♪ I'm a light star ♪
05:16 - I'm guessing that Rania's Christmas go-to
05:19 is the Mariah Carey song.
05:20 - Well, I mean, it has been number one
05:23 on the Billboard charts. - I know, forever.
05:24 - And I am a Billboard writer.
05:26 ♪ All I want for Christmas is you ♪
05:30 - What's your favorite thing
05:33 about working with each other in the studio?
05:36 - She sings great.
05:38 And for, as a producer,
05:40 and somebody who's kind of a control freak and a.
05:42 - I listen to you. - And a stickler.
05:43 Yeah, you do, sometimes.
05:45 - Most of the time.
05:46 - Well, for instance, we were recording yesterday.
05:48 - Right. - A demo.
05:49 - No, I was doing you a favor is what I was doing.
05:51 - Right, for a demo for my musical Betty Boop
05:53 that's coming, opening in Chicago.
05:54 - How many favors have I done for you?
05:56 - A lot. - A lot.
05:57 - A lot, and I was like, okay, you could try it.
05:59 And she just grabs the paper, okay, let's go.
06:02 Like, your attitude was like less than great.
06:03 - Really?
06:04 Excuse me.
06:05 - Yeah, let's get into this.
06:07 Catherine, your side of the story now.
06:09 (laughing)
06:11 - She's smart.
06:12 - This is a couple's therapy is what we really.
06:15 - Our new segment here.
06:16 - Yeah, right. - What are you talking about?
06:18 I didn't do that yesterday.
06:19 - I did that the day before yesterday.
06:21 - No, but you asked what we like each other.
06:24 - Right.
06:25 Yeah, I was gonna say, stay with the positive, Dave, geez.
06:28 - I started by saying I love your voice
06:29 and she's easy to direct.
06:31 She sings so in tune. - Thank you.
06:33 - And I love that.
06:33 - My Grown-Up Christmas List.
06:35 Written by David Foster.
06:37 (piano music)
06:40 Let's watch the master.
06:41 ♪ Do you remember me ♪
06:44 - It's easy, it's really easy.
06:46 - Yeah, it is easy, and it always was easy
06:47 in the studio with him.
06:48 Honestly, it hasn't changed that much
06:50 from my experience with him when I was 21,
06:55 fresh off the idol stage, to now.
06:59 I mean, yeah, I probably am a little bit more opinionated
07:02 with certain things because, you know, I've grown.
07:05 - You should learn from Celine more, okay?
07:07 15 years, she never said a word.
07:08 She just said, "Tell me what you want me to say."
07:10 - I'm sure she pushed back here and there.
07:11 - No, never.
07:12 - Are you telling me she was just a submissive little.
07:15 I don't think so.
07:16 - Yes, she was.
07:17 - Celine's a very strong woman.
07:18 - I gotta get Celine in here now.
07:21 - Just tell me what to say.
07:22 - Well, you know what?
07:23 I'm so glad that that's what makes you happy.
07:26 - Am I right, Kim?
07:26 - Someone who listens to exactly what you say.
07:28 - She's not, she's staying out of it.
07:29 - We could get Celine on the phone
07:30 and get to the bottom of this.
07:32 ♪ I'm everything I am ♪
07:34 ♪ Because you loved me ♪
07:37 - You've become quite the king of Christmas.
07:39 You've worked with Michael Buble, Barbra Streisand.
07:42 What is it about this time of year
07:44 that gets you in the creative mood?
07:46 - I'll tell you what it really is,
07:47 is that as a producer, you're always chasing,
07:51 you're always wanting a hit,
07:52 you're always wanting to be on the Billboard charts,
07:54 I mean, the iconic Billboard charts.
07:56 So you're always chasing.
07:57 With Christmas, you truly get a free pass.
08:01 - Right.
08:02 - There's no, you can't be too corny,
08:03 and everything works,
08:05 and you don't have to quote unquote make a hit.
08:08 You just have to do something that feels good
08:10 with these amazing songs.
08:12 So I pride myself in delving in deep,
08:14 and every year when I was doing those Christmas albums,
08:17 every year with Josh Groban and Michael Buble
08:19 and Celine and Barbra, as you said,
08:21 and Dolly Parton, and done so many of them.
08:24 - You probably loved the non-pressure.
08:27 - Yeah, the non-pressure.
08:28 - The non-pressure.
08:28 - And the challenge of doing the songs different.
08:30 - Yeah, and that's what's kind of nice
08:31 about Christmas music too, right?
08:33 Because you'll have all these artists
08:34 release Christmas songs,
08:35 and we have kind of the same rotation of Christmas songs,
08:38 but you still enjoy every version just as much,
08:41 and I think that that's what's really cool,
08:42 is that they're so versatile.
08:45 - Yeah, it's true.
08:46 - And it's really great, I love that.
08:47 And of course, you guys have a beautiful family,
08:51 and you must have some Christmas traditions
08:53 that we have to talk about
08:54 since we are in the festive season.
08:56 - Well, this'll be the first year
08:56 that we'll share it with our son,
08:59 because he's now just old enough to start getting excited.
09:02 He'll be three, or almost three.
09:03 - Yeah, I mean, last year he was too young,
09:06 but I always love to go a little bit crazy
09:07 and decorate everywhere,
09:09 so that always felt like a tradition in my family growing up
09:12 is that the day after Thanksgiving,
09:14 we'd pull out all the decorations and just start decorating,
09:17 put the Christmas music on, all the classics,
09:19 and have them in rotation, and just kind of go to town.
09:22 And now I have a little helper.
09:26 He's at that age where he's not really
09:27 that good of a helper, but he wants to help.
09:29 It's gonna be a great season.
09:30 We're very excited about it.
09:31 - So exciting.
09:32 Lastly, clearly you guys have such a wonderful bond,
09:36 and so what do you think is the key
09:38 to kind of a long-lasting relationship
09:41 that also is like a friendship?
09:42 - I'll pass that over to you.
09:44 - I was like, you're asking him.
09:46 - Oh, don't be so mean.
09:48 - It's a little comical, come on.
09:52 - It's unusual.
09:53 - Listen, we're talking about hope here.
09:55 - No, I think actually, Dave, I think you should, David,
10:00 I think you should answer that.
10:02 What's the thing you don't enjoy doing?
10:06 - Arguing.
10:09 Oh, digging deep.
10:11 - Yes.
10:12 - Oh, I hate it.
10:13 - Having real conversations about real things.
10:14 - Oh, so keep it fun, keep it exciting.
10:17 - Keep it light.
10:18 - Yeah, I mean, that's a good.
10:19 (laughing)
10:22 - You know, just keep it real shallow, real surfacy.
10:25 - If your marriage is in trouble,
10:26 just remember this one thing from a very experienced person.
10:29 Keep it light.
10:30 - No, honestly, speaking truth in kindness and in love
10:36 is the best recipe for keeping a relationship,
10:40 any relationship, but particularly a marriage.
10:43 You can say hard things and do hard things
10:47 if you do them with, and say them with kindness and love.
10:51 Even when you do that, it works well, doesn't it?
10:54 - Yeah.
10:55 - I'm so glad we got this all worked out for today.
10:57 - It was so nice to meet you guys.
11:00 Thank you for coming in today.
11:02 (upbeat music)
11:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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